Surrogate Attack

When you have a battle to fight, whom do you send?

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.  So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"- Matthew 22:15-17

In today's Gospel, the disciples of the Pharisees approach Jesus with a question they are told will out him as a rebel of the state, and possibly get him arrested.

It didn't work, possibly because they were armed with only one challenge, and it wasn't even their fight.

You would think the ones who wanted Jesus stopped would have had the guts to attack him directly, rather than to send others poorly equipped for the fight.

When we send someone else to fight our battles for us, we cannot expect them to be as committed as we are. 

One does not enter into battle, or a negotiation, or any arena against an opponent without having done his or her homework.  We go in prepared for anything and everything we can imagine can be thrown against us.

Jesus was prepared for anything; his opponents were not.

We should try to learn something from this lesson, before we go out to do battle to support or defend our causes.

We should expect an onslaught, and be prepared for battle.

If not, we will see our position erode before us like it did for those the Pharisees sent.

More to come...